Plow bottom



June 29,1943; I .4. N. BAKER 2,323,177

PLOW BOTTOM Filed March 10, 1941 l3 INVENTO 7 A T'TORNE'YS.

Patented June 29, 1943 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE PLOW BOTTOMApplication March 10, 1941, Serial No. 382,477

7 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements andmore particularly to plows and other implements in which at least someof the parts are formed of cast iron or the like. Specifically, thepresent invention is particularly concerned with plows having chilledcast iron.moldboards or shins, such as are used in sandy, gravelly soilsor other soils where greater resistance to abrasion is afforded than isordinarily present in the conventional steel plow.

In the production of chilled cast iron shin pieces, moldboards andsimilar parts for plows of this type, not infrequently there are smallvariations in the curvature of the castings, due to variations in thehardness of the iron, temperature of the iron and temperature of thechill at time ofpouring and other factors. Also, other factors tend tocause warpageand/or shrinkage .of the parts. Further, variations in thefrogs, usually of malleable iron or steel, may also occur. Due to thesevariations the bearing of the moldboard or shin piece against the frogsometimes occurs irregularly, causing misalignment of the parts anduneven bearing, and as a result when the parts are clamped togetherstrains are introduced into the parts which sometimes result in theirbreakage, particularly the cast iron parts.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provisionof means eliminating the abovementioned objectionable disadvantages.More specifically, it is a feature of this invention to provide one ormore spherical seating members to be disposed between the chilledmoldboard or shin piece and the frog or other part to which they are tobe connected, in connection with a spherical socket receiving theaforesaid seating member so that by virtue of the ability of the seatingmembers to take different positions in the associated sockets, when theclamping means is tightened. the spherical seating members can alignthemselves with respect to the surface of the back of the moldboard orshin piece and thereby secure a firm bearing support for the moldboardor shin piece but entirely eliminating strains and the like whichotherwise would be incorporated in the implement.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent, to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction withtheaccompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of the rear end of a moldboard plowin which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated;and

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the line 22of Figure 1 Referring now more particularly to Figure 1,

the plow in which the principles of the present invention have beenincorporated is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral l andincludes a plow beam 2 of more or less conventional construction to therear end of which a frog 3 is secured in any suitable manner. The frog 3is generally of conventional configuration but is provided with aplurality of sockets 5 to receive fastening means by which other partsof the plow are to be attached to the frog. Such other parts may be. forexample, a share section I, a moldboard section 8, and a shin piecesection 9, these sections being conventionally formed to provide thedesired shape and curvature of the earth engaging surfaces by which thefurrow slice is severed and inverted and/or pulverized as desired. Takentogether, the mold-'- board section 8 and the shin piece section 9 forma moldboard surface for the plow while the share section 1 forms thecutting edge. Generally, the moldboard section 8 is fastened at twoplaces to the frog and to a rear brace 4 which is connected to thelandside 6 of the plow bottom.

Plows particularly constructed for use in abrasive soils conventionallyhave the above-mentioned sections formed as chilled castings so that thesurface of said sections can be made extremely hard and resistant toabrasion. Being made as castings, however, they are subjected toshrinkage and other factors which, as men-' tioned above, result inunavoidable variations in the shape of the parts. Hence, a frog which,for example, accurately fits against themoldboard, shin piece or sharein one case might not fit as accurately against other parts althoughmade during the same run.

In order to take care of such variations and to permit the several partsof the plow to be bolted tightly together yet without introducingstrains due to the above mentioned variations,the present inventionemploys one or more spherical seating members which provide a firmbearing for the parts irrespective of such variations.

Referring now more particularly to Figure .2, it will be seen that thesockets 5 are of generally semi-spherical configuration and are formedas depressions or concavities, in the center of each of which is a boltreceiving opening 10. The associated seating member is indicated in itsentirety by the reference numeral II and includes a member in the natureof a washer having a convex semi-spherical face I2 and a substantiallyflat face 13 at the opposite side. In each member H is an openingl5which is tapered or conical. A clamping bolt I6 is disposed in eachsocket 5 and passes through the associated seating member ll.Breferably, the bolt It has a countersunk head I! adapted to seat' in anopening l8 formed in the associated part, such as the shin piece ,9. Thefit of the bolt IS in the opening l8,

like the opening I0, is fairly close but with sufficient looseness topermit slight relative movement of the bolt I6 relative thereto,generally about the point of contact between the bolt and the outeror'forward edge of the opening I8. On the other hand the fit of the boltIt in the opening I5 is one of appreciable looseness, due to the factthat the general diameter of the opening I5 is substantially larger thanthe diameter of the associated bolt I6. can rock with respect to thebolt.

The bolt I6 thus forms clamping means that firmly secure-s the part 9 tothe part 3 notwithstanding variations in the shape of the part 9. Forexample, I have shown in dotted lines an ex-' aggerated variation of theshape of the member 9, and the position of the member I I in dottedlines shows how the latter accommodates such irregularity, yet when thebolt I6 is tightened, the two parts are firmly fixed together withsubstantially uniform bearing on all sides of the clamping axis, asdefined by the bolt It, with the result that there are no strains in thecast metal parts which might result or tend to result in breakage.Generally, the shin piece 9 has a bearing pad 29 formed on the backsurface thereof to seat against the member I I It will be understoodthat the moldboard section 8 is secured in place against the frog sleeveby substantially the same means described above. Hence, in Figure 2,which shows one of the connections between the moldboard section 8 andthe frog 3, I have indicated similar parts by similar referencenumerals. Likewise, the means securing the share 'I to the frog 3 is ofthe same construction.

While I have shown and described above the preferred structure in whichthe principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is tobe understood that my invention is not to be l mited to the particulardetails shown and described above, but that, in fact-widely differentmeans may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects .of myinvention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A plow comprising a moldboard, a frog having a spherical socket, awasher having one face formed to receive said moldboard and the otherformed to adjustably seat in said socket so as to dispose said one faceat different angles relative to said frog, and means for clamping saidmoldboard against said washer and the latter against said socket.

2. A plow comprising a moldboard including a shin piece section and amoldboard section, both formed of cast iron or the like, a frog toreceive said sections and formed with generally semispherical sockets, aseat member adapted to be disposed in each socket and the associatedsection, and means for securing said sections to said frog with saidseat members therebetween, each seat member having a face adapted toreceive the associated section and a generally semi-spherical face.adapted to seat .in the associated socket whereby the seat member mayseat therein in different angular positions so as to accommodatevariations in the shape of the associated sections dueto shrinkage andthe like.

3. A plow comprising a frog having a spherical socket, a part adapted tobe fitted to said frog and made of cast iron or the like subject tovariations due to shrinkage andother factors, a seating member havingone .face formed to receive said part and theother formedtoadjustablyseat Thus, the seating member H in said socket so as todispose said one face at different angles relative to said frog wherebyto receive said part and accommodate any variations in the latter, andmeans for clamping said part against said seating member and the latteragainst said socket.

4. A plow comprising a frog having a spherical socket, a shin pieceadapted to be fitted to said frog and made of cast iron or the likesubject to variations due to shrinkage and other factors, a seatingmember having one face formed to receive said shin piece and the otherformed to adjustably seat in said socket so as to dispose said one faceat different angles relative to said frog whereby to receive said shinpiece and accommodate any variations in the latter, and means forclamping said shin piece against said seating member and the latteragainst said socket.

5. A plow comprising a moldboard section formed of chilled cast iron orthe like, whose shape, dimension or the like are subject to variationsdue to shrinkage, warpage and the like, a frog to which said moldboardsection is adapted to be connected at a plurality of points, said froghaving a generally concave socket at two of said points, a pair ofseating members, each having a face adapted to receive the rear surfaceof said moldboard section and a generally convex face adapted to seat inthe associated frog socket and be disposed at different positionstherein so as to accommodate said moldboard variations, said frog,moldboard section and seating members having openings adapted to bebrought into registry when the moldboard section is mounted on the frogwith said seating members therebetween, and bolt means extending throughsaid openings for clamping the moldboard section onto said frog, theopening in each seating member being larger than the diameter of saidbolt means and approximately conical so as to permit said seating memberto be clamped in different positions in the associated socket, wherebywhen the bolt means is tightened the moldboard section is fixed to thefrog without introducing strains into the cast moldboard section.

6. A plow comprising a moldboard member, a frog member, one of saidmembers having a generally spherical socket, a washer having one faceformed to receive the other member and the other face formed toadjustably seat in said socket so as to dispose said one face atdifferent angles relative to said one member, and means for clampingsaid moldboard member against said washer and the latter against saidsocket.

'7. A plow comprising a moldboard section formed of chilled cast iron orthe like, Whose shape, dimension or the like are subject to variationsdue to shrinkage, warpage and the like, a frog to which said moldboardsection is adapted to be connected at a plurality of points, said froghaving a generally concave socket at two of said points, a pair ofseating members, each having a face adapted to receive the rear surfaceof said moldboard section and a generally convex face adapted to seat inthe associated frog socket and be disposed at different positionstherein so as to accommodate said moldboard variations, said frog,moldboard section and seating members having openings adapted to bebrought into registry when the moldboard section is mounted on the frogwith said seating members therebetween, and bolt means extending throughsaid openings for clamping the moldboard section onto said frog.

HERBERT N. BAKER.

